STACK 
ANN 


SYNOPSIS 


CHILIAN  STATISTICS 


irma 
al 

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1878-1879. 


SIEOOItTID 


I'JI  1  I,  A  DKLI'II  1  A 
?,    CTOB     ^ 

isao. 


SYNOPSIS 

STATISTICAL  Al  GEOGRAPHICAL  OF  CHILI. 


Containing  the  Principal  Data  of  the  Condition  of  the  Country  during  the 
Twelve  months  of  the  year  1878  and  the  first  nine  months  of  1879. 


PRELIMINARIES : 

All  the  efforts  of  the  nation  and  government  of  Chili,  during 
the  year  1878,  have  been  chiefly  exerted  to  counteract,  by  reduc- 
tion of  expenses  and  labor,  the  effects  of  the  financial  crisis 
which,  since  1875,  have  thwarted  the  progress  of  the  country. 

The  following  figures  will  give  evidence  of  the  truth  and  effi- 
cacy of  these  efforts : 
Savings  in  public  expenditure  and  in  the  estimates 

of  the  Administration, $1,058,592 

Reduction  made  in  the  estimates  for  1879,      .         .        951,227 
Reduction  in  private  consumption  and  in  the  impor- 
tation of  foreign  goods, 3,957,102 

Increase  in  the  amount  of  exportation,   .         .         .     1,980,487 

Total, $7,947,408 

In  accordance  with  this  system  of  reparation,  savings  and 
labor,  the  government  has  spared  no  pains  to  conduct,  in  a  de- 
corous and  proper  manner,  the  old  question  of  limits,  pending 
then  as  now,  between  Chili  and  the  Argentine  Republic;  and 
even  succeeded  in  making  an  agreement,  which,  although  left 
soon  without  effect,  has  nevertheless  served  the  interest  of  the 
international  peace,  jeopardized  for  a  moment,  and  has  cleared 
the  way,  also,  for  future  and  more  successful  negotiations. 

Unfortunately,  at  the  moment  in  which  this  happy  result  was 

1 


obtained,  the  questions  with  Bolivia  were  unduly  precipitated 
by  that  nation,  and  have  since  brought  about  the  present  state 
of  war. 

The  government  of  that  Republic,  disregarding  claims  of  un- 
questionable justice,  asserted  by  Chili,  endeavored  to  enforce  a 
law  of  its  Legislature,  under  which  was  imposed  a  tax  of  ten 
cents  on  the  dollar  for  every  hundred- weight  of  saltpetre  ex- 
ported from  the  port  of  Antofagasta.  This  tax  virtually  an- 
nulled the  treaty  of  1874,  the  third  in  order  of  those  which 
Chili  had  concluded  with  Bolivia,  having  always  in  view  the 
amicable  settlement  of  the  questions  between  the  two  countries. 
Because  the  paramount  object  of  that  treaty  was  chiefly  to  pro- 
tect, in  the  territory  ceded  by  Chili  to  Bolivia,  Chilian  capital 
and  business,  against  taxes  which  did  not  exist  at  the  date  of  said 
treaty.  The  new  taxes  would  be  calculated  to  destroy  that  pro- 
tection, and  defeat  all  the  benefits  reserved  to  Chili  for  the  valu- 
able concessions  she  had  made  to  Bolivia. 

The  government  of  Chili  made  known  to  Bolivia,  on  the  8th 
of  November,  1878,  the  true  import  of  the  question,  and  informed 
that  government  what  would  be  the  immediate  and  principal 
consequence  of  the  enforcement  of  the  new  Bolivian  law ;  that 
the  treaty  would  thus  be  abrogated,  and  Bolivia  would  have  to 
assume  the  responsibility  of  a  rupture;  and  Chili  would  be  jus- 
tified in  restoring  matters  to  their  condition  previous  to  the  con- 
clusion of  the  treaty  between  the  two  countries. 

Bolivia,  without  stopping,  even  for  a  moment,  the  haste  and 
violence  of  its  proceedings,  advanced  the  idea  of  an  arbitration, 
which  Chili  accepted  at  once,  provided  the  execution  of  the  new- 
law  which  produced  the  conflict,  should  be  suspended.  But 
Bolivia,  declining  this  form  of  solution,  immediately,  and  with 
marked  aifectation  of  sincerity  and  judgment,  stopped  the  levy- 
ing of  the  tax,  and  ordered  the  summary  resumption  of  all 
rights,  which  under  a  solemn  contract  of  five  years'  peaceful  du- 
ration, the  Chilian  saltpetre  company  of  Antofagasta  had  ac- 
quired, and  which  was  the  principal  centre  of  the  Chilian  inter- 
ests protected  by  the  treaty  of  1874. 


The  government  of  Bolivia,  after  offering  to  Chili  this  act  as  a 
satisfactory  reparation,  precipitated,  by  all  measures,  the  execu- 
tion of  its  work  without  any  consideration  of  respect  due  to  the 
Chilian  legation  in  La  Paz ;  and  Chili,  even  in  those  critical 
moments,  flattered  itself  with  the  idea  that  an  arbitration  for  the 
second  time  suggested  by  the  Bolivian  Cabinet  would  restrain 
the  violation  of  Bolivian  faith,  and  thus  avoid  war,  the  only 
effective,  though  painful,  remedy  for  such  grievances. 

Reason  and  pacific  efforts  were  not  regarded  by  the  government 
of  Bolivia,  and  its  very  summary  proceedings  against  the  salt- 
petre company  compelled  Chili  to  carry  material  force  to  a  ter- 
ritory where  injury  to  a  valuable  Chilian  property  had  been  in- 
flicted, and  the  protections  granted  by  the  treaty  of  1874  had 
been  disregarded  and  violated. 

Thus,  on  the  14th  of  February,  1879,  the  difficulties  which 
the  Chilian  Cabinet  had  so  earnestly  tried  to  avoid  since  the 
8th  of  November,  1878,  was  solved  by  the  military  occupation  of 
Antofagasta  by  Chili. 

This  done,  notwithstanding  the  generous  aspirations  of  the 
Chilian  government  to  the  contrary,  the  Peruvian  press  became 
alarmed  and  began  an  agitation  in  which  the  government  of  Peru 
soon  after  was  involved.  Said  government  proceeded  to  arm  itself 
at  full  speed;  declined  at  first  to  declare  a  definite  policy ;  and  in 
March,  1879,  sent  an  extraordinary  legation  to  Chili  with  the  os- 
tensible and  especial  object  of  offering  the  mediation  of  Peru. 

But  as  a  mediation  should  only  be  offered  by  a  neutral  na- 
tion, it  was  necessary  that  Peru  should  begin  by  giving  a  declara- 
tion of  neutrality,  and  also  by  explicitly  denying  the  rumored 
existence  of  a  secret  treaty  with  Bolivia  to  the  detriment  of 
Chili. 

The  envoy  of  Peru  refused  to  do  the  first,  and  in  regard  to 
the  existence  of  the  treaty,  offered,  after  many  evasive  answers, 
to  transmit  to  the  Chilian  government  a  formal  declaration  of 
his  own.  But  as  this  reply  being  delayed  in  reaching  Santiago, 
and  as  Peru  was  in  the  meantime  increasing  its  armaments,  it 
became  necessary  to  put  an  end  to  a  situation  which  to  all 


1821178 


evidence  was  dangerous  for  Chili  and  fully  advantageous  to  the 
country  which,  while  under  the  shade  of  the  peace,  was  acquir- 
ing elements  and  collecting  forces  for  war. 

On  the  final  demand  of  Chili,  Peru  replied  that  it  could  not 
remain  neutral  in  the  struggle  by  the  reason  of  a  treaty  which 
was  in  fact  one  of  offensive  and  defensive  alliance.  Thus  the 
old  enmity  of  Peru  and  the  perfidious  machinations  of  its 
government  being  shown,  war  became  inevitable,  and  it  was 
declared  by  Chili  on  the  4th  of  the  subsequent  April. 

Under  the  workings  of  this  war,  it  was  essential  that  all  the 
elements  of  the  financial  and  economical  movement  of  Chili, 
from  February  to  November  of  1879,  should  be  arranged  to 
meet  the  crisis. 

SHORT  HISTORICAL  SKETCH. 

Fernando  de  Magallanes  by  the  south,  and  Almagro  and  Val- 
divia  by  the  north,  bore  each  a  part  in  the  earlier  discovery  and 
conquest  of  this  land  inhabited  by  strong  and  independent  tribes 
of  aborigines,  which  soon  after  was  known  as  the  Kingdom  of 
Chili.  To  Magallanes  (1520),  is  due  the  glory  of  discovering  the 
straits  which  bear  his  name  (Straits  of  Magellan) ;  to  Almagro 
(1535),  that  of  the  toilsome  exploration  of  the  northern  and  cen- 
tral valleys  of  Chili;  and  to  Pedro  de  Valdivia  (1540-1553), 
that  of  recognizing  the  land  and  settling  the  most  suitable  parts 
for  colonization,  and  that  of  conducting  the  stubborn  struggle 
with  the  wild  Araucanians.  During  the  government  of  Hur- 
tado  de  Mendoza  (1557-1560),  this  struggle  was  brought  mo- 
mentarily to  a  close,  and  with  that  of  Francis  Villagran  (1561), 
began  the  period  of  the  colonization.  The  existence  of  this 
government,  after  the  Spanish  system  of  that  epoch  ended,  on 
the  18th  of  September,  1810,  through  the  double  influence  of 
the  French  Revolution  and  the  internal  troubles  of  the  Me- 
tropolis, Spain,  left  then  without  a  head,  called  on  its  inhabit- 
ants to  take  measures  for  the  defense  of  themselves  and  their 
government.  The  people  of  the  Chilian  colony  tried  to  do  this, 
but  was  thwarted  by  plots  and  war  by  the  Spanish  partizans 


5 

headed  at  Lima  by  the  viceroy,  until  Chili  proclaimed  openly 
its  independence  and  sealed  it  victoriously  and  forever  on  the 
field  of  Maipo,  the  5th  of  April,  3818. 

Now  the  Chilian,  Bernardo  O'Higgins,  with  the  title  of 
Director  and  invested  with  full  power,  figures  in  the  first  repub- 
lican organization  of  the  country.  Under  his  government 
(1817-1822),  the  National  Institute  and  Library,  erected  at  the 
time  of  the  political  transformation  of  1810,  were  reorganized  ; 
religious  liberty  was  initiated  ;  an  expedition  to  free  Peru  was 
fitted  out  (1819),  and  sprang  from  there  the  Chilian  navy  whose 
cannons  cleared  the  waters  of  the  Pacific  of  the  Spanish  vessels 
from  the  Straits  of  Magal lanes  (Magellan)  to  the  coasts  of  Mexico. 

The  liberator,  General  Freire  (1823-1827),  succeeded  O'Hig- 
gins, and  under  his  authority  of  popular  and  liberal  tendencies, 
the  war  of  independence  was  completed  and  slavery  altogether 
abolished.  In  that  time,  though,  the  country  was  not  entirely 
settled,  neither  free  from  rival  struggles;  butafter  the  re-construc- 
tion de  facto  of  1830,  the  establishment  of  the  Constitution 
of  1833  followed,  whose  spirit,  vivified  by  long  years  of  peace 
and  improvement,  has  been  intermingled  with  the  social  organiza- 
tion of  Chili.  This  condition  of  the  country,  being  secured  with- 
out violent  measures,  has  given  life  and  force  to  ten  successive 
administrations  which  have  been  guided  in  their  principles  and 
policy  by  the  electoral  action  and  the  public  press. 

The  two  administrations  of  General  Prieto's  presidency,  lasted 
from  1831  to  1841,  and  established  new  institutions,  organized 
the  public  treasury  or  finances,  and  the  national  credit,  and  made 
prominent  the  name  of  Chili  in  its  foreign  relations,  since  by 
their  policy  and  arms  they  overthew  (1839),  the  Confederation 
Pei^u-Bollana,  brought  up  by  deceitful  usurpation  on  the  part 
of  General  Santa  Cruz,  president  of  Bolivia. 

The  president,  General  Bulnes,  elected  after  finishing  the  cam- 
paign in  Peru,  presided  over  two  periods  (1841-1 851).  His  admin- 
istrations were  distinguished  by  the  utmost  regularity ;  by  a  more 
liberal  and  milder  spirit  than  even  the  preceding  ones ;  by  a  fos- 
tering of  public  instruction,  and  by  causing  the  preparation  of 


the  civil  code,  which  in  the  two  following  administrations 
(1851-1861),  of  the  citizen  Manuel  Montt,  was  completed  and 
promulgated  by  this  magistrate.  His  government  is  noted  also 
for  its  ample  liberality  to  the  spirit  of  enterprise,  and  in  calling 
to  the  country  of  foreign  capital  and  immigration,  and  for  the 
commencement  of  several  important  public  works. 

Under  the  two  administrations  (1861-1871),  of  the  citizen 
Joaquin  Perez,  a  new  impulse  was  given  to  the  establishment  of 
railroads  and  telegraphs ;  religious  tolerance  was  sustained  ;  and 
under  his  administration  a  conflict  with  Spain  commenced  (in 
1865),  which  after  a  war,  scarcely  perceptible,  of  two  naval  en- 
gagements and  one  unopposed  bombardment,  still  remains  un- 
decided. The  Chilian  government  has  shown  a  spirit  of  toler- 
ance and  encouraged  a  steady  intercourse  with  men  and  ideas 
which  greatly  moderated  some  old  passions  among  the  parties. 

During  the  administration  of  the  citizen,  Frederic  Errazuriz, 
(1871-1876),  and  under  the  influence  of  this  statesman,  the 
principle  of  alternation  in  the  executive  power  was  widened  by 
the  non-election  of  president  for  a  second  term ;  the  system  of 
railways  and  telegraphs  was  farther  completed  ;  the  country  ac- 
quired powerful  war-vessels,  which  at  present  are  the  shield  of 
its  honor  and  rights,  and  finally,  the  political  movements  were 
ordered  so  as  to  be  immediate  and  efficient,  under  the  influences 
of  new  ideas  and  of  the  men  who  professed  them. 

The  actual  administration,  presided  by  the  citizen,  Anibal 
Pinto,  since  the  18th  of  September,  1876,  has  been  unable  to  pur- 
sue the  material  development  of  the  country,  in  consequence  of  the 
world-wide  financial  crisis,  which  finally  reached  Chili  also, 
after  having  prostrated  to  a  degree  the  other  nations  of  the 
globe.  These  relate  to  production,  exchange  and  consumption. 
The  work  of  re-establishing  the  equilibrium  by  reduction  of  ex- 
penses and  labor  was  the  only  possible  and  safe  relief,  and  to  this 
work  the  administration  directed  its  attention,  beginning  by  re- 
ducing the  estimates  for  public  expenditures  from  $21,000,000  to 
$16,000,000.  At  the  same  time  it  organized  the  public  admin- 
istration in  the  saltpetre  and  mining  regions  recently  discovered 


in  the  north  of  Atacama,  and  giving  to  the  new  industries, 
already  budding,  such  help  as  was  fitted  with  the  state  of  the 
treasury. 

In  its  policy,  it  firmly  assented  to  the  declaration  of  amend- 
ments in  the  Constitution  without  restraints  in  its  proceedings  ; 
and  in  the  latter  months  of  1878  and  the  former  ones  of  1879, 
displayed,  in  the  management  of  its  foreign  relations,  a  policy 
which  can  justly  be  defined  as  moderation  in  strength  and 
strength  in  moderation.  '\  he  present  war  which  Chili  makes 
against  Peru  and  Bolivia,  allied  secretly,  to  the  harm  of  the 
former  since  1873,  may  be  considered  a  synthetical  demonstration 
of  the  progress  reached  by  this  country  in  its  sixty  years  of  in- 
dependence. To  this  war,  it  has  taken  a  fleet  relatively  power- 
ful, with  an  artillery  and  vessels  of  the  last  and  most  scientific 
improvements,  and  an  army  more  numerous  than  any  which,  up 
to  the  present  time,  has  been  put  on  foot  by  this  country,  of 
whose  resources  some  idea  can  be  formed,  by  taking  note  that  it 
landed  and  operated  in  a  territory  totally  devoid  of  water  and 
food,  besides  being  that  of  the  enemy,  and  in  which,  neverthe- 
less, has  been  mounted  or  established  up  to  the  present  date  a 
train  of  hospitals,  victuals,  covered  encampments,  machines  for 
distilling  water,  stores  of  forage,  a  line  of  steamers  and  a  tele- 
graph, modern  ordnance,  stationary  and  movable,  and  a  military 
administration  suitable  for  the  occupancy  of  the  territory. 
•  The  expenses  incident  to  this  powerful  train  of  war  have  been 
made  without  affecting,  as  in  ordinary  times,  the  punctual  pay- 
ment of  the  administrative  service  and  debt. 

At  the  same  time,  the  country  has  made  a  fortunate  assay  of 
the  ever  dangerous  system  of  paper  money.  This  emission  cir- 
culates to-day  at  the  value  of  80  per  cent.  The  prudence  of  the 
nation  will  be  sufficient  to  use  sparely,  as  it  ought,  this  powerful 
resource. 


8 
II. 

GEOGEAPHICAL  POSITION  AND  PHYSICAL  ASPECT — EXTENTION 
— INDUSTRIAL  ZONES,  DETERMINED  BY  THE  PHYSICAL  NA- 
TURE AND  GEOGRAPHICAL  POSITION — GEOLOGICAL  CONSTI- 
TUTION— ETHNOGRAPHY  AND  MEDICAL  GEOGRAPHY. 

Chili  occupies  the  south-west  and  most  southern  extremity  of 
South  America,  washed  on  the  west  by  the  Pacific  Ocean,  from 
24°  lat.  south,  the  established  limit  which  separated  it,  until  the 
14th  of  February,  1879,*  from  Bolivia,  unto  the  parallel  which 
passes  to  the  south  of  Cape  Horn ;  and  between  the  shore  of  this 
ocean  and  the  anticlinal  line  of  the  Cordillera  de  los  Andes, 
comprehended  from  24°  to  38°  lat.  south,  which  divides  it  on  the 
east  from  the  Argentine  Republic.  From  here  its  limit  with 
that  republic  reaches  the  Atlantic  in  parts  of  Patagonia,  which 
up  to  the  present  have  not  been  clearly  defined,  including  in  the 
Chilian  territory  the  southern  part,  the  Straits  of  Magallanes, 
and  the  archipelagoes  of  Tierra  del  Fuego,  etc.,  which,  from  the 
western  mouth  of  the  Straits,  continues  to  the  north,  along  the 
Pacific  coast. 


The  form  of  the  country  is  that  of  a  long  band  which  reaches 
from  the  foot  of  the  Andes  to  the  Pacific.  Its  extension,  longi- 
tudinally, runs  from  north  to  south  until  meeting  the  34th- 
parallel  south,  where  it  turns  first  to  the  west,  and  afterward  to 
the  east,  thus  forming  an  angle  of  8°  with  the  meridian  of  Cape 
Horn. 

The  appearance  of  the  territory  is  sufficiently  original  to  be 
interesting. 

On  the  east  are  the  great  Cordillera  of  the  Andes,  with  their 
towering  peaks  and  numerous  counter-forts,  while  on  the  west, 

*  Chili  had  claimed  rights  since  the  Spanish  conquest  even  to  the  river  Loa,  though  it 
had  exercised  only  sovereignty  and  jurisdiction  as  far  as  the  parallel  23°  south  after  its 
independence;  but  by  peaceful  agreements  with  Bolivia  in  the  treaties  of  3866  and  1874, 
the  limits  between  the  two  countries  were  fixed  on  the  parallel  24°.  The  stipulations  of 
the  treaties  being  disregarded  by  Bolivia,  Chili  resumed  its  old  northern  limit  on  the  23°- 


near  the  Pacific  coast,  the  Cordillera  de  la  Costa  or  Maritime 
extends  in  the  same  direction.  Between  these  chains  of  moun- 
tains the  central  valley  opens  out,  and  almost  without  any  inter- 
ruption extends  from  lat.  33°  to  lat.  41°  30'. 

Of  these  two  chains  of  mountains,  the  Andean  is  remarkable 
for  its  abrupt  slopes,  its  snow-clad  summits,  and  its  uniform  ex- 
tension from  north  to  south ;  whereas  the  Maritime  presents 
openings  through  which  the  numerous  rivers,  which  rise  in  the 
Andes,  flow  to  the  sea.  This  second  range  seems,  in  regard  to 
the  first,  as  its  lower  step ;  their  declivities  are  gentle,  its  profile 
less  broken,  without  any  regular  continuation,  spreading  here 
and  there  counter-forts  of  some  importance. 

From  parallel  23°  south  to  41°  30',  the  Chilian  territory  is  of 
a  uniform  aspect,  and  the  coast  range  offers  no  peculiarity ;  but 
beyond  41°  this  chain  is  suddenly  transformed;  its  valleys  and 
plains  become  abated,  or  rather  give  place  to  the  waters  of  the 
Pacific,  which  here  form  an  inextricable  labyrinth  of  islands, 
islet?,  channels  and  inlets  as  far  as  Cape  Horn. 

The  area  of  the  territory,  without  including  Patagonia,  neither 
the  northernmost  districts  re-incorporated  manu  militari  in  the 
present  war,  is  587,000  square  kilometres,  or  226,614  square 
miles.  The  length  of  the  country,  north  to  south,  is  over  3,660 
kilometres.,  or  1,980  miles,  of  60  to  a  degree,  and  its  width  an 
average  of  175  kilometres,  or  100  miles. 

Nature  has  divided  this  territory  in  three  regions  or  sections, 
which  are : 

1st.  At  the  north  the  mining  region  from  parallels  23°  to  33°. 
In  the  most  northern  part,  little  rain,  or  none ;  streams  even 
still  less;  nearly  devoid  of  vegetation ;  deposits  of  saltpetre  and 
guano  ;  copper,  silver  and  gold  mines  abundant,  and  of  a  supe- 
rior quality  in  all  of  it;  greater  extremes  of  heat  and  cold,  but 
the  mean  temperature  in  the  shade  not  rising  higher  than  78°  F. 
in  summer,  nor  falling  down  lower  than  45°  in  winter.  The 
more  southern  valleys  of  this  region  are  more  watery  and  very 
fertile. 

2d.  Agricultural  region,  between  the  parallels  33°  and  42° 


10 

south;  central  valley  well-watered  and  genial  climate;  mean 
temperature  75°  F.  in  summer  and  45°  in  winter;  rainy,  espe- 
cially so  advancing  south;  soil  rich  and  fertile;  abundant  forests 
in  the  Cordillera  of  the  coast  and  in  the  lower  plains  and  slopes 
of  the  Andes ;  robust  vegetation  even  to  the  most  southern  lati- 
tude; plenty  of  coal  and  timber. 

3d.  Fishing  and  navigation  region;  from  42°  to  56°  lat.  S. ; 
the  central  valley  disappears,  and  the  Maritime  mountain  changes 
into  archipelagoes,  with  over  fifty  inhabitable  islands ;  rains 
abundant ;  islands  covered  with  exuberant  vegetation ;  mean 
cold  in  winter  35°. 

The  geological  constitution  of  the  country  presents  all  the 
formations  of  a  scientific  classification ;  that  of  the  Maritime 
range  is  granite  of  various  classes,  while  that  of  the  Andes  is 
composed  of  plutonic  rocks  of  volcanic  origin.  The  central 
valley,  which  is  the  richest,  is  composed  of  a  most  fertile  alluvial 
soil. 

Chilian  ethnography  is  far  from  offering,  by  the  variety  of  its 
races,  the  interest  of  that  of  other  American  nations.  Only  two 
races  predominate  in  Chili — the  native,  recently  nearly  colonized 
and  conquered,  and  the  Spanish  or  European. 

The  first  is  divided  in  four  branches,  which  are:  the  Fue- 
ffuina,  or  Fuegian,  in  Tierra  del  Fuego ;  the  Chonos,  in  the  west- 
ern channels  of  Patagonia ;  the  Araucana,  which  inhabits  some 
of  the  southern  part  of  the  second  region  already  mentioned ; 
and  the  Changos,  of  Peruvian  descent,  which  before  the  conquest 
peopled  the  literal  which  extends  from  the  Desert  of  Atacama 
to  the  northern  limits  of  Arauco. 

At  present  the  fusion  of  these  two  great  elements  of  popula- 
tion, the  native  and  Spanish,  or  European,  may  be  considered  as 
completed,  the  only  remains  of  the  true  native  type  being  some 
fifty  or  fifty-five  thousand  individuals,  entirely  wild.  The 
Spanish  language  is  the  only  one  used  throughout  Chili.  The 
vernacular  Araucanian  and  Fuegian  are  preserved  among  the 
wild  tribes. 


11 


The  following  table  shows  in  general  the  state  of  mortality  in 
Chili,  and  points  out,  in  general,  the  vital  statistics  and  common 
diseases : 


DISEASES. 

DEATHS. 

AVERAGE. 

Men. 

Women. 

Men. 

Women. 

Consumption.      

871 
641 
505 
401 
280 
238 
169 
65 

952 
352 
280 
311 
60 
13 
63 
59 

Per  cent. 

22-4 
16-7 
12-9 
10-3 
7-2 
6-1 
4-3 
1-7 

Per  cent. 

34-6 
12-1 
10-2 
11-3 
2-2 
0-5 
2-3 
2-2 

Fevers,      

Pneumonia,    ...... 
Dysentery, 

Syphilis,    

From  wound^,    

Diseases  of  the  Heart,  . 

The  rate  of  death  to  the  population  is  1  for  every  36  inhab- 
itants. 


III. 


POPULATION,    MEANS     OF      DEVELOPMENT    AND    NUMBER    OF 

VOTERS. 

According  to  the  census,  taken  on  the  19th  of  April,  1875, 
the  population  of  Chili  was  in  that  year  2,075,971. 

Classified  according  to  sex  : 

Men, 

Women,         .... 

Or, 

Single, 

Married,         . 

Widows  and  Widowers, 


. 

.  1,033,974 

• 

.  1,041,997 

Men. 

Women. 

725,389 

690,469 

278,013 

276,948 

30,572 

74,580 

Total, 


.  1,033,974 


1,041,997 


12 


State  of  instruction : 

Can  read, 

Can  read  and  write, 

Neither  read  nor  write, 

Total, 

Nationalities : 

Germans, 

Argentines,    . 

Spaniards, 

French, 

English, 

Italians, 

North  Americans, 

Peruvians, 

Other  American  States, 

Other  European  States, 

Asiatics,  etc., 


Men. 
270,908 
244,985 
518,081 

1,033,974 


Men. 

3,143 

4,560 

1,102 

2,408 

3,459 

1,724 

821 

470 

470 

1,211 

132 


Women. 

206,413 
176,162 
659,422 

1,041,997 


Women. 

1,535 
2,623 
121 
906 
808 
259 
110 
361 
209 
199 
4 


Total,  .        .        .  19,500  7,135 

Id.  Chilians,        .         .       1,014,484  .1,034,862 

The  population  augmented  by  the  31st  of  December,  1877,  to 
2,136,724,  proving  by  this  result  and  also  that  of  1876,  an 
average  yearly  increase  of  19,000  to  20,000  inhabitants.  There- 
fore the  population,  at  the  end  of  1879,  was  about  2,180,000 ; 
and,  accordingly,  its  density  about  4  inhabitants  to  a  square  kilo- 
metre, or  9  to  a  square  mile. 

At  the  end  of  the  year  1877,  the  register  of  births,  deaths 
and  marriages  was  as  follows  : 

Men.  Women. 

Births, 41,905         40,390 

Deaths,     .  ...     31,617         30,732 


13 

COMPARISON. 

Births, 82,295 

Deaths, 62,349 

19,946 

Marriages, 13,576 

The  census  of  electors  who  voted  in  1876  : 

Population  in  general  (1875),          ....  2,074,827 
Qualified  or  registered  voting  citizens  (1875), .         .  106,194 
Voting  for  the  election  of  President  of  the  Repub- 
lic (1876),          46,114 

Electors  of  President,  elected  by  popular  votes,      .  327 

Average  of  votes  according  to  the  population,  1  in  45  inhabit- 
ants. Of  those  qualified,  43  per  cent,  exercised  their  right  of 
voting. 


IV. 


GOVERNMENT  AND  ADMINISTRATION — STATE  OF  THE  PUBLIC 
TREASURY  IN  1878  AND  1879 — ESTIMATE  FOR  1880 — PUB- 
LIC DEBI — INVESTMENT  OF  THE  PASSIVE  OF  THE  ESTI- 
MATE— COIN. 

The  Republic  of  Chili  is  representative,  united  and  indivisi- 
ble. Its  government  is  exercised  by  three  independent  powers, 
which  work  harmoniously,  each  in  its  respective  functions,  de- 
fined by  the  Constitution  of  1833. 

1st.  The  Legislative  power  is  invested  in  a  Congress  composed 
of  a  House  of  109  representatives,  which  are  elected  popularly 
every  three  years,  and  of  a  Senate  of  37  members,  elected  for 
six  years  by  electors  of  popular  vote  of  each  province. 

2d.  The  Executive  power  is   in   the  hands  of   a   President, 


14 

elected  for  a  term  of  five  years,  also  by  electors  in  every  prov- 
ince :  he  is  assisted  by  a  responsible  ministry. 

3d.  The  Judicial  power  is  indirectly  of  popular  origin,  and 
the  judges  hold  office  during  good  behavior. 

For  the  purpose  of  the  national  administration,  the  territory 
of  the  Republic  is  divided  actually  in  17  provinces  and  2  terri- 
tories. The  provinces  are  governed  by  high  functionaries,  and 
subdivided  in  58  departments,  each  under  the  authority  of  a 
governor,  and  the  departments  in  681  subdelegations  and  3,738 
political  districts. 

The  municipal  or  local  administration  comprehends  51  city 
councils  or  municipalities,  with  179  judges  and  a  corresponding 
number  of  officers. 

Religious  liberty  forms  part  of  the  Chilian  public  law. 

PERSONS  IN  THE  DIRECTION  OF  THE  EXECU- 
TIVE DEPARTMENT. 

President  of  the  Republic,  ANIBAL  PINTO. 

His  constitutional  period  commenced  on  the  18th  of  Septem- 
ber, 1876,  and  will  terminate  on  the  17th  of  said  month  of  1881. 

MINISTERS. 

Department  of  the  Interior — Domingo  Santa  Maria. 

of  Foreign  Affairs  and  Colonization — Miguel  Luis 

Amunategui. 
of  Justice  and  Public  Instruction — Jose  Antonio 

Gandarillas. 
"          of  Finances,   Agriculture  and    Mines — Augusto 

Matte. 

of  War  and  Navy — Rafael  Sotoraayor. 

Judicial  matters  are  administered  by  a  Supreme  Court,  of 
national  jurisdiction  :  seats  at  the  capital,  Santiago. 

One  High  Court  of  Appeal  at  Santiago,  divided  in  two 
halls — districts,  the  central  provinces. 


15 

Other  ditto  at  Serena — districts,  the  provinces  of  the  north. 

Another  ditto  at  Concepcion — districts,  provinces  of  the 
south  and  territories. 

There  are  43  inferior  courts  of  justice  for  civil  and  criminal 
cases,  and  the  corresponding  minor  judges. 

The  affairs  of  the  church  in  Catholic  religion,  which  is  pro- 
tected and  sustained  by  the  State,  are  under  the  direction  of 
one  archbishopric  at  Santiago,  three  bishoprics  at  Serena,  Con- 
cepcion and  Anctid,  and  the  respective  chapters  of  cathredrals 
and  curates. 

The  criminal  statistics  for  1878  are : 

Number  of  trials,          .....     6,059 
Of  which  number,  were 

Sentenced,    .         .         .         .         .        '.         .     3,058 
Absolved,     .         .        .         •         •         -         •     2>9°8 

The  offenses  for  which  tried,  were : 
Against  the  State,        ' .         .         .       Ji         .        568 
"       Morals,    .         ...         .'        .'105 

"       Persons,  .         .         .         .         .         .     2,025 

"       the  Property,   .         .         .    '  "'  .         .     3,361 

6,059 


According  to  the  balance  sheet,  the  state  of  the  public  treasury 
31st  December,  1878,  was  the  following: 

Cash  in  hand  31st  December,  1877,     .         .  $2,348,191  63 

Ordinary  income, 14,031,867  92 

Loan,  internal  ($3,974,571), and  extraordinary 

receipts, 4,063,918  39 


Total,       ....       $20,443,977  94 


16 

Expenses : 

For   1878,  reduced  by  savings   from  $17,- 

576,302  to $16,660,289  78 

Deficit  on  the  31st  December,  1877,     .         .         4,715,439  38 1 


Total,      .         .  ^     .         .         .         .  $21,375,729  16J 

COMPARISON. 

Income  31st  December,  1878,     .         .         .  $20,443,927  94 

Expenses, 21,375,729 


Deficit  on  the  31st  December,  1878,  $931,801  22J 

As  is  seen,  the  treasury  deficit  for  the  31st  December,  1877, 
was  4|  millions,  which  has  fallen  to  less  than  one  million  for 
the  31st  December,  1878. 

Financial  movement  for  1878  : 

The  ordinary  income  for  1878  exceeded  that  of  1877  by 
$334,015,  principally  arising  from  monopolies  and  an  increase 
of  traffic  on  government  railways,  this  last  being  a  sign  of  a 
favorable  reaction. 

The  Custom-House  duties  fell  $189,437,  which  represents  a 
greater  reduction  in  the  consumption  of  imported  goods. 

In  the  ordinary  receipts  for  1877  the  amount 

of  credit  was $4,884,54236 

Reduced  in  1878  to 3,974,571  77 


Less  in  1878,  ....  $909,970  59 

This  notable  diminution  in  the  deficit  and  loans  which  burden 
the  future,  is  owing  to  greater  reduction  in  the  administration 
which  in  1878  reached  $1,058,592;  a  greater  reduction  in  the 
national  consumption  and  an  increase  in  the  products,  which 
will  be  noted  later. 


17 


In  the  expenses  for  1878,  national  works  and  support  to  the 
mineral  salt  works  of  Atacaraa,  figure  for  $435,729. 


The  state  of  the    national  treasury  on  the  31st  December, 
1879,  will  therefore  be  as  follows: 

ACTIVE. 

Ordinary  income,        .         .         .         .         .       $14,506,293  75 
Appeal  to  credit — internal  loan,  .         .         .  357,500  00 


$14,863,793  75 

PASSIVE. 

The  ordinary  estimated  expenses  reached        .     $17,072,712  26 
Plus  deficit  from  1878,          .      t' ;  .     .  ;    .;  931,80100 


$18,004,513  26 

Total,  reduced  by  economy  in  the  adminis- 
tration and  by  suspending  the  amortization 
of  the  loan,  to  .  .  .  .$16,001,463 


COMPARISON. 


Active,        .        .        .        .        .        .        .  $14,863,793  75 

Passive, 16,001,463  48£ 


Deficit  for  1880,        ....    $1,137,669 

The  increase  which  is  noted  in  this  deficit,  compared  with  that 
of  1878,  is  still  greater  if  the  suspension  of  the  sinking  of  the 
loan  is  taken  into  account,  but  this  is  compensated  for,  in  the  first 
place,  by  the  considerable  diminution  of  loans ;  and  next  by 
the  excess  of  exports  over  the  imports,  which  is  a  great  source 
of  wealth. 


18 
The  estimates  presented  for  1880,  give  the  following  results : 

Active :  estimated  income,   ....     $14,970,000  00 
Passive:  ordinary  expenses,         .         .         .       14,930,114  00 


Residue, $39,886  00 

To  be  added  the  deficit  for  1879,          .         .       $1,137,669  73J 

Plus  the  capital  of  debt,  of  which  the  amortization  has  been 
suspended. 

In  return,  the  country  will  have  in  its  favor  on  the  31st  of 
December,  1879,  $14,000,000,  arising  from  the  excess  of  imports 
over  the  consumption,  brought  into  the  country  during  the  two 
last  years ;  a  rich  harvest  of  agricultural  and  mineral  products ; 
all  of  which  indicate  greater  prosperity  for  the  forth-coming 
year,  and  an  income  greater  than  that  reckoned  upon  the  esti- 
mates of  J  879. 

Here  are  the  estimates.  The  receipts  newly  created  are 
marked  with  an  asterisk : 

Customs, $6,400,000 

Railways, 3,500,000 

Monopolies, 1,800,000 

Land-tax, 1,040,000 

Stamps  and  stamped  paper,           ....  250,000 

Patents, 250,000 

Excise,         .         .         .         .                 300,000 

Mint, 100,000 

Post-office  and  telegraphs, 240,000 

Rent  of  national  estates, 25,000 

Sale  of  national  property  and  lands,     .         .         .  250,000 

*Tax  on  movable  property,           ....  600,000 

*Legacy  duty, 100,000 

*Tolls, 40,000 

Sundry  incomes, 75,000 


$14,970,000 


19 

The  state  of  the  public  debt  on  the  31st  of  July,  1879,  was  as 
follows : 


Internal  debt, $19,320,550 

Annuities  on  assumed  mortgages,         .         .         .         8,349,442 
Foreign  debt,     ...  ....       34,879,000 


$62,548,992 

To  which  sum  we  must  add  the  12  millions  of 
legal  tenders  with  which  the  expenses  of  the 
present  war  are  paid, 12,000,000 

$74,548,992 

A  burden  which,  divided  among  the  2,180,000  inhabitants, 
gives  us  in  round  numbers  $34.20  a  head. 

The  following  data  will  prove  the  solvency  of  the  country  in 
face  of  the  total  of  the  debt : 

In  1878,  the  rate  of  imports  per  head  was          .         .     $10  87 
"  "  exports       .         .         .         .         .       1366 

Annual  saving  per  head,  $2.73,  or  $5,959,440  for  the  whole 
population. 

The  government  railways  alone  represent  a  value  superior  to 
the  external  debt,  and  gave  in  1878  a  gross  income  of  2,978,454, 
only  inferior  by  $426,965  to  the  interest  and  amortization  of  the 
external  debt  for  the  before-mentioned  year. 

This  gross  income  of  government  railways  is  reckoned  for 
1880  at  3£  millions,  or  $95,000  more  than  the  total  of  that 
service. 

The  estimate  of  railway  receipts  are  calculated  in  gross. 

And  finally,  the  production  of  mineral  salts,  new  to  the 
country,  can  be  estimated  for  the  end  of  the  present  year  at  6 
millions  of  dollars,  with  a  profit  of  50  per  cent,  on  the  same. 

The  quantities  which  constitute  the  total  of  the  national 
expenses  for  1878,  are  applied  to  the  payment  of  the  following 
services : 


20 

Public  security;  administration  of  justice  and  penal 
prisons;  prevention  and  repression  of  crime  by 
the  police,  to  whose  support  the  municipalities 

also  contribute, $711,036 

Army  and  navy, 2,370,234 

Public  credit, 6,432,135 

Collection  of  duties  and  liabilities  of  government  officers,  587,948 

Material  support  or  protection,       ....  677,397 

Beneficence  and  sustenance  of  this  service,       .         .  400,449 

Telegraphs  and  post-office,     .....  3,541,801 

Public  instruction,          .         .         .         .         .         .  1,004,265 

Worship, 194,761 


Total, $15,920,026 

The  balance  is  divided  among  the  administrative  officers,  the 
material  of  the  offices  and  in  buying  monopolized  articles. 

Consequently,  each  person  pays  to  the  State  : 

For  security  (police), $     31 

For  defense  (army  and  navy), 1  10 

Public  debt, 3  00 

Contributions  (Administration),  .  .  .  .  .  21 
Public  works,  ...*....  31 
Beneficence  and  recompenses,  .  .  .  .  .  18 

Roads, 1  60 

Public  instruction, 48 

Worship, 9 

Total,      .         .  ...  $7  28 

The  real  tax  per  head  is  $8,  adding  the  national  and  muni- 
cipal contributions. 

During  the  year  1878  the  Mint  coined  the  following  quantity 
of  gold  and  silver: 

Gold, $79,380  00 

Silver,       .  1,546,956  29 


$1,626,336  29 


21 

The  exportation  of  national  money  in  the  same  year  was  : 
Gold,   ...      ......         $107,630  00 

Silver,  .......        3,123,280  00 


$3,230,910  00 

COMPARISON. 

Coined,         .         .         .     :.  ;-.,,..      .         .       $1,626,36929 
Exported,    .         .         ,         .         .         .         .         3,230,910  00 


Excess  of  exportation  over  coinage  in  1878,      $1,604,540  71 

The  amount  of  gold  and  silver  coined  the  first  eleven  months 
of  the  present  year  (1879)  has  been  as  follows : 

GOLD. 

In  $10  pieces  (condors),      .         .         ...  $65,180  00 

SILVEE. 

Coin  of  0.9  of  pure  silver. 

Of  100  cents,     .        .        .        .     '  .'      .        .  $770,19500 

Of   20    "         .      '   '.        .        .        .        .        .  1,929  00 

Of   10    "         .        I        .        .      '  .'        .        .  946  90 

Of     5     "         .        .        .        .        .        .      '  .  807  85 

Coins  of  0.5  pure  silver. 

Of  20  cents,       .        .         .         .     •'..,.         .  $815,30620 

Of  10     "           .        .        .        .        .        .        .  64,965  80 

Of   5     " 17,685  80 

Copper  Coins. 

Of  2  cents, $8,581  94 

Ofl  cent,           .         .         .         .v      .         .         .  6,779  95 


$1,752,378  44 

Has  been  exported  : 
Gold  to  the  value  of  .        .        .        .        .        .      $81,336  00 

Silver    "  "      ......  2,155,374  00 


$2,236,710  00 


22 

COMPARED   WITH    1879. 

Coined, .         $1,752,378  44 

Exported, 2,236,710  00 


Excess  of  exportation  over  coinage  in  1879,  $484,331  56 

RECAPITULATION. 

Balance  in  contra  for  1878,          .         .         .  $1,604,550  71 

"          "            for  1879,          .         .        .  484,331  56 


$2,088,882  27 

This  copious  exportation  of  sterling  coin  arises  from  three 
causes,  viz. :  1st.  The  deficiency  of  the  crops  of  1876  and  1877. 
That  of  the  last  year,  which  was  gathered  during  the  first  months 
of  the  following,  was  so  extremely  poor  that  the  country  was 
obliged  to  import  corn  from  the  United  States,  Argentine  Re- 
public, and  Uruguay,  to  the  value  of  $284,623.  2d.  The  pre- 
ponderance of  paper  money,  which,  owing  to  the  war,  has  had  to 
be  redeemed  by  fiduciary  money.  It  is  well  known  that  circu- 
lating bank  notes  facilitate  the  exportation  of  coin,  above  all  if 
the  depreciation  of  the  former  raises  the  rate  of  exchange ;  and 
3d.  The  necessary  payment  of  interests  in  sterling  coin,  of  foreign 
capitals  deposited  in  this  country. 

GENERAL  COMMERCE— IMPORTS  AND  EXPORTS— COASTING 
TRADE— NAVIGATION. 

The  total  of  the  amount  of  international  exchange  in  1878 
ascended  to  $63,929,075,  thus  composed : 

Imported  by  sea,  .         .         .         $26,880,964 
"          by  land,          .         .  1,938,357 

—$28,819,321 

Exports,        ....         $31,695,859 
In  transit,     ....  3,413,895 

$35,109,754 


23 

The  commerce  of  exports  and  imports,  or  exchange  of  na- 
tional products  for  foreign  ones,  was  as  follows : 

Exportation  of  the  former,     ....         $31,695,859 
Importation  of  the  latter,        .         .         .         •         '  25,322,011 


$57,017,870 

Excess  of  exports  of  national  produce  over  imports,    $6,373,848 
In  1877  this  excess  was,        .         .         . : ,     .         .         436,259 


$6,810,107 

The  following  is  an  analysis  of  the  exports : 

Labor  has  produced  in — 

Mineral  products,  value  in  market,          *       '•* 
Agricultural  products      " 

Manufactured     "  "  .       .-'.  , 

Miscellaneous  articles,     "  "-, 

Savings  in — 

National  coin,           ....  .  $3,230,910 

Foreign  coin  in  circulation,  -!> '  *•->   •-*•';  -.      '  ;'•  163,626 

Bank-notes,     ...                 ;  -  .       X.  914,500 

Articles  imported  and  re-exported,  .        ,  892,540 


$31,695,859 

Comparing  the  exports  of  1877  with  those  of  1878,  we  find 
that,  during  the  latter  year,  less  agricultural  but  more  mineral 
products  were  exported.  The  scanty  crops  of  1877,  which  were 
gathered  in  the  first  months  of  1878,  will  explain  the  former. 
Whereas,  the  increase,  in  the  exportation  of  minerals,  notwith- 
standing the  low  price,  indicates  a  greater  amount  of  labor  and 
capital  dedicated  to  that  branch  of  production. 

The  importation  of  foreign  goods  which  in  1877  was  $29,279,113 
Fell,  in  1878,  to 25,216,054 


Greater  reduction  in  consumption,     .         •         .     $4,062,559 


24 

List  of  imports : 

I.  Articles  of  food,       ...                  .  $6,800,947 

II.  Textile  goods,  ...                  .  6,082,727 

III.  Kaw  material,  ......  2,183,764 

IV.  Clothing,  jewels,  etc.,         .         .                  .  1,837,974 
V.  Machinery,  instruments,  etc.,     .         .         .  1,711,793 

VI.  Articles  for  domestic  purposes,  .         .         .  1,505,221 

VII-  Locomotion,  railways  and  telegraphs,          .  330,210 

VIII.  Wines  and  spirits, 743^149 

IX.  Snuff,  tobacco,  etc., 847,365 

X.  Minerals,  gold,  silver  and  copper  bars,        .  576,462 

XI.  Articles  for  the  sciences  and  arts,       .         .  576,462 

XII.  Drugs  for  medicinal  and  industrial  purposes,  225,400 

XIII.  Arms  and  ammunition,     ....  66,063 

XIV.  Various  articles, 1,829,475 

C  Gold  coin,             9,429 

XV.    J  Silver  coin, 33,231 

(Bank-notes, 54,035 

As  in  these  imports  there  are  certain  values  which  increase 
the  working  capital  of  the  country,  viz. :  machinery,  locomo- 
tives, railways  and  telegraphs  for  .  .  .  $1,711,793 

And  coin  and  bank-notes  for    ....  96,595 


$1,808,388 

The  true  balance  for  the  3Jst  of  December,  1878  is,  therefore, 
as  follows : 

Increase  in  exportation, $6,810,107 

Increase  in  circulating  capital,      ....       1,808,388 


$8,618,495 

"With  reference  to  the  exportation  for  the  present  year,  1879, 
the  following  data  may  be  relied  upon  : — The  exportation  of 


25 

agricultural  produce  in  the  first  nine  months  of  the  year  has 
been  $7,432,042;  that  of  metals  and  minerals,  not  including 
those  exported  from  Antofagasta,  in  the  first  six  months,  $8,371,- 
437,  and  that  of  gold  and  silver  coin,  national  and  nation- 
alized, $2,155,374.  Consequently,  under  these  data,  the  ex- 
ports for  1879,  may  be  estimated  at  $34,000,000.  And  sup- 
posing the  imports  to  be  the  same  as  in  1878  (machinery  and 
coin  being  deducted),  $23,408,166,  plus  articles  of  war,  bought 
by  the  state,  $5,000,000  (approximation),  equals  $28,408,166. 
We  shall  have  at  the  end  of  the  year,  the  following  satisfactory 
balance : 

Exportation,  ".  .  !  .  .  .  '-' V  .  $34,000,000 
Importation,  .  28,408,166 


Balance  in  favor  of  country,       ....         5,591,834 
Adding  the  balances  of  '76  and  77,    .         .         .         8,618,495 


Gives  for  total,  .         ..       .       ...        .         .         .     $14,210,229 

From  the  above  we  have  only  to  deduct  the  quantities  corres- 
ponding to  the  amortization  of  the  foreign  loan,  which  has  not 
been  paid  during  the  present  year,  1879. 


The  principal  industrial  consumption  per  head  in  1878,  may 
be  thus  classified  : 

Articles  of  food, .         .         .         .         .  $2  93  each  inhabitant. 

Textile  goods, 2  62     "           " 

Raw  materials, 94     "           " 

Machinery,.         .....  74     "           " 

Sciences  and  arts,          .         .         .         .  16     " 

Clothing  and  jewels,    ....  79     "           " 

Snuff,  tobacco,  etc.,       ....  32     "           " 


26 
Value  of  coasting-trade,  in  1878,  reached,  .         .     $68,218,649 


The  state  of  navigation  is  represented  by  the  following  figures  : 


Sailing  ships, 
Steamers,     . 


ARRIVALS. 

Vessels. 

.     645 

658 


Tonnage. 

324,120 
893,135 


Crew. 

10,570 
46,358 

56,928 


Sailing  ships, 
Steamers,     . 


SAILED. 

.  713 
794 


358,653     11,568 
1,014,736     55,090 


Sailing  ships, 
Steamers, . 


1,507          1,373,389  66,658 


COASTING-TRADE. 

ARRIVALS. 

.  1,917     508,305 
.  2,316    1,892,617 


16,110 
114,074 


4,233    2,400,922    130,184 


Sailing  ships, 
Steamers, . 


SAILED. 

1,843  485,004  15,097 

2,170  1,748,916  101,804 

4,013  2,243,920  116,901 


27 
VI. 

AGRICULTURE — ARABLE  LANDS — LAND  CULTIVATED  IN  1877 
— PRODUCE  OF  THESE  LANDS — AGRICULTURAL  POPULA- 
TION— MORTGAGES — COAL. 

The  extent  of  cultivable  land  in  the  peopled  territory  is 
7,929,078  hectares,  or  19,584,825  acres. 

The  part  cultivated  in  1877,  614,807  hectares,  or  1,518,573 
acres,  or  less  than  8  per  cent,  of  cultivable  land. 

The  yield  of  wheat  only  in  1877  was  3,993,723  hectolitres,  or 
10,982,740  bushels. 

In  1878,  3,643,727  hectolitres,  or  10,010,250  bushels. 

According  to  the  census  of  1875  the  number  of  husbandmen 
is  171,983. 

During  the  year  1878,  loans  on  land  mortgages  made  by  the 
respective  institutions,  amounted  to  $3,312,100,  guaranteed  by 
88  farms,  whose  value  is  estimated  at  $10,389,226. 

The  total  value  in  circulation  of  mortgage  notes  on  the  31st 
December,  1878,  was  $15,304,000. 

The  production  of  coal  from  the  principal  mines  in  the  south 
of  Chili  reached,  in  1876,  to  48,184,960  metrical  quintals,  or 
4,742,614  English  tons  ;  but  this  amount  has  increased  in  the 
last  two  years. 

VII. 

RAILWAYS   AND   ROADS— TELEGRAPHS POST-OFFICE. 

The  country  is  owner  of  863  kilometres  or  536  miles  of  rail- 
ways and  of  88  kilometres  or  54  of  branch  lines,  which  are  ad- 
ministered and  worked  by  the  government. 

The  cost  of  these,  to  31st  December,  1878,  was  $38,628,479, 
which  is  equal  to  50  per  cent,  of  the  capital  of  the  European 
loan,  and  constitutes  in  its  origin  the  total  of  our  foreign  debt. 

The  balance  of  this  same  debt,  which  is  to-day  $34,879,000, 
is,  as  is  seen,  more  than  compensated  by  the  working  value  of  the 
government  or  fiscal  railways. 


Working  value  for  1878  : 
Passengers,  ....... 

Goods,         .         .         .         .         .     metrical  cvvts. 


The  gross  income  was  .....     $3,011,269 

The  expenses  of  working,  repairs,  etc.,  .         .       1,870,467 

Residue,          ....     $1,140,802 

Which  corresponds  to  3  per  cent,  of  the  capital  spent,  and 
forms  the  direct  remuneration  of  that  capital.  The  increasing 
development  of  national  produce  and  of  custom  duties,  owing  to 
the  cheapness  and  facility  of  steam  communication  more  than 
compensates  the  difference,  comparing  the  interest  of  the  foreign 
debt  with  that  of  the  interest  of  the  capital  spent  in  railways. 

The  national  exportation  before  the  existence  of 

railways  (1853)  was, $12,138,000 

Custom-house  duties,        .         .         .         .         .  3,358,540 

In  1878  the  exportation  was,     ....  31,695,859 

And  custom-house  duties,          ....  6,188,271 

To  the  951  kilometres  of  railways  of  public  property,  it  is 
necessary  to  add  674  kilometres  of  private  property,  the  value 
of  which  amounts  to  $11,527,402. 

That  is  to  say  the  country  possesses  1,625  kilometres,  or 
1,010  miles  of  railways. 

It  also  possesses,  for  communication  : 

699  public  roads,         .         .         24,711  kils.  or  15,370  miles. 
1,562  by-roads,      .        .        .         17,863        "     11,030      " 
78  water  ways,  .         .  4,514         "       2,810      " 

The  net  work  of  telegraphs  which  the  government  possesses, 
and  works  for  its  own  account,  embraced  at  the  beginning  of 
1879,  5,523  kilometres,  or  3,435  miles,  and  was  served  by  63 
offices. 

The  northern  line  extends  from  Copiapo,  capital  of  the  prov- 
ince of  Atacama,  to  Iquique,  head-quarters  of  the  army  of  occu- 
pation of  the  province  of  Tarapaca,  in  Peru. 


29 

During  the  year  1878,  were  transmitted  by  the  wires  : 
Private  messages,  158,359,  with  2,873,439  words,  value,  $44,532 
Official  messages  87,639,  with  3,438,500  words,  which 

is  according  to  the  ordinary  tariff,  value,          .         .     36,587 


$81,119 
Expenses  of  administration,  repairs,  etc.,  in  1879,        .     99,043 


Difference  in  contra,  ....  $17,924 
represents  the  expense  to  the  state  of  this  important  branch  of 
national  development. 


The  post-offices  of  the  country  during  the  year  1878,  carried 
6,632,110  letters;  14,993  samples;  13,348  judicial  files; 
373,235  official  dispatches ;  8,639,544  pamphlets ;  which  form 
a  total  of  15,673,130,  or  J, 052,062  more  than  in  the  year  1877. 

Expense  of  post  service,          .         ...         .         .     $253,282 

Keceipts,         .         .         .         .         .         .        .         .       202,213 


Excess  of  expense,       .         .     ...        .       $51,060 


The  money-order  office,  in  connection  with  the  post-office, 
issued,  in  1878,  money-orders  amounting  to  $838,021. 

The  expense  of  this  important  branch  was     .         .         .     $7,500 
And  the  receipts,        .         .         .         .         ....        .       7,000 

Cost  of  service, $500 


Chili  has  united  in  the  postal  convention  of  Paris. 

The  tariffs  for  telegrams,  letters  and  money-orders  are  very 
moderate,  the  object  being  to  foster  the  moral  and  material  de- 
velopment of  the  country. 


30 

VIII. 

In  Chili  there  is  perfect  liberty  of  instruction.  Nevertheless, 
the  State,  through  the  University  at  Santiago,  reserves  for  itself 
the  right  of  granting  certificates  in  cases  where  those  who  have 
received  the  education  intend  to  follow  some  professions  which, 
according  to  law,  require  a  special  guaranty,  for  the  effects  that 
their  practise  or  exercise  may  work  on  society. 

This  guarantee  on  the  part  of  the  State  is  made  with  the  most 
strict  impartiality,  and  is  thus  made  a  means  of  stimulating 
learning  and  teaching. 

The  State,  acting  in  accordance  with  the  principles  proclaimed 
by  the  revolution  of  1810,  became  responsible  for  the  develop- 
ment of  popular  instruction,  appropriating  necessary  public 
money;  and  to  fulfill  this  duty,  every  government,  since  the 
18th  of  September,  1810,  has  been  vying  with  each  other. 

The  instruction,  paid  and  fomented  by  the  State,  is  divided 
in  three  classes : 

Superior  instruction. 
Middle  instruction. 
Elementary  instruction. 

The  first  is  given  by  the  respective  section  of  the  National 
Institute,  Santiago,  and  in  the  lycea  or  high  colleges  of  Copiapo, 
Serena,  Valparaiso  and  Concepcion.  It  includes  the  branches 
necessary  for  the  following  professions : 

Laws, 

Mathematics, 

Medicine, 

Engineering, 

Painting,  etc. 

In  the  university  section  of  the  Institute  in  1878,  762  students 
pursued  the  higher  course  of  study,  divided  in  the  following 
manner : 

Laws, 378 

Medicine,      .         .         .         .         .         .         340 

Mathematics, 33 


31 

In  the  section  of  painting,  drawing  and  sculpture,  55  students 
assisted,  divided  in  the  following  manner : 

Painting  and  drawing,    .  44 

Sculpture,      .         .         .         .         .       .".  11 

The  government  maintains  in  the  academy  of  painting  and 
sculpture,  in  Paris,  two  proficient  pupils  in  the  school  of  paint- 
ing. 

The  conservatory  of  music  was  attended  by 

Male.  Female. 

Theory  and  sol-faing  (3  sections), .         .68  199 

Piano,        •.        .         .                           .  117 

Vocal,         .        .        .        .        .     •  ; .      26  99 

Orchestra,   .         .        .         .  •       .        .       39  36 

Total,   .        .        ...     133        451 

During  the  year  1878,  the  following  pupils  received  a  middle- 
class  education  in  the  following  establishments : 

In  the  first  section  of  the  National  Institute,    1,052 
Lyceum  de  Copiapo,         .         .         .         .213 

"  La  Serena,          .        .         .         .216 

"  San  Felipe,         ,;  '     r.        .       v      217 

"  Valparaiso,         .        .       ..        .      362 

"  Kancagua,  .         .         .         ,.-  •     .         68 

"  San  Fernando,    .        »        .       ...  •      85 

"  Curic6, 102 

"  Talca,         .        .         .         .         .279 

"  Linares, 51 

"  Cauque"nes,          ....         76 

"  Chilian, 133 

"  Concepcion,         ....       302 

Number  carried  forward,  .     3,156 


32 

Number  brought  forward,     .         .  3,156 

Lyceum  Los  Anjeles,       ....  53 

"       Valdivia, 56 

"       Melipulli,  or  Puerto-Montt,         .  45 

"       Ancud, 74 


Total,         ....    3,384 

During  the  term  of  the  present  year  (1879)  the  number  of 
these  pupils  has  reached  4,241. 

The  following  have  been  the  branches  of  instruction :  Re- 
ligion, sacred  history,  articles  of  Catholic  faith  ;  Spanish,  French, 
English,  German,  Italian  and  Latin  grammar;  ancient  Greek 
and  Roman  history;  history  of  the  middle  ages,  modern  history, 
and  of  America  and  Chili ;  literature  and  history  of  literature ; 
mental  and  moral  philosophy;  elemental  arithmetic, algebra  and 
geometry ;  descriptive  and  physical  geographies, '  cosmography, 
elemental  physics  and  chemistry,  natural  history,  book-keeping, 
lineal  and  landscape  drawing,  hygiene,  commercial  course  (in 
the  lyceum  of  Valparaiso). 

The  total  of  pupils  who  have  studied  at  the  government  ex- 
pense, in  the  middle  class  term,  and  in  painting,  during  the  year 
1878,  is  4,315. 

The  State  also  sustains  two  establishments  of  professional  and 
scientific  instruction,  applied  principally  to  the  producible  in- 
dustries, manual  labor  and  agriculture  of  the  country,  and  are  : 
The  National  School  of  Arts,  with  75  pupils  inscribed. 
This  number  of  pupils  receives  instruction  in  the  following 
branches : 

Arithmetic  and  algebra,      .         .         .         .         .15 
Elemental  geometry,  rectilineal  trigonometry,       .     16 

Descriptive  geometry, 16 

Elemental  physics,  or  natural  philosophy,   .         .12 

Mechanics, 16 

English, 16 

Spanish  grammar, 16 


33 

Geography,        .         .         .         .         .         .         .16 

Religion,   ........     15 

History  of  Chili,         .         .         .         .         .         .15 

Machine  drawing,       .         .         .         .         .         .59 

The  School  of  Agriculture,  with  27  students  ;  a  system  of  in- 
struction divided  in  three  parts,  corresponding  to  an  equal  num- 
ber of  years,  and  it  is  endowed  with  a  laboratory  of  agricultural 
chemistry,  a  machine  apparatus,  an  observatory,  gardens  for 
study,  a  model  vineyard,  forest  and  fruit  trees,  and  a  veterinary 
hospital. 

Primary  instruction,  the  foundation  of  the  edifice  we  have  just 
examined,  functioned  during  the  year  1878,  in  the  following 
form: 

NUMBEK  OF  PUBLIC  AND  COMMON  SCHOOLS. 

Males.  Females. 

In  the  towns, 146  155 

In  the  country,         .         .         .         .247  230 


Total,        .        .        .         .393  385 

In  all  778  schools,  with  1,053  teachers,  of  which  number  269 
are  assistant  teachers ;  the  number  of  children  on  register  was 
60,571 ;  and  the  branches  of  education  the  following : 


Reading, 

"Writing, 

Arithmetic, 

Catechism, 

Spanish  grammar, 

Geography, 


Cosmography, 
History  of  Chili, 
Sacred  history, 
History  of  America, 
Drawing, 
Vocal  music. 


In  order  to  form  some  idea  of  the  state  of  primary  instruction 
it  is  necessary  to  inspect  the  data  of  private  teaching. 

During  the  year  1878,  563  private  schools  were  in  operation, 
with  an  attendance  of  15,740  pupils,  males,  and  10,727  females ; 
total,  26,467. 


34 

The  number  of  private  schools  in  1878  has  augmented,  as  well 
as  the  number  in  attendance. 

The  total  of  scholars  in  all  the  schools  is,  therefore,  the  fol- 
lowing : 


In  public  schools, 
In  private  schools, 


.     60,571 
.     26,467 

87,038 


The  Normal  School  for  training  teachers,  had  in  the  year  1878, 
109  students  on  register,  divided  into  four  sections,  studying  the 
following  branches : 


FIRST  SECTION. 


Reading,     .         . 
Writing, 

Spanish  grammar, 
Descriptive  geography, 
Sacred  history,     . 
Vocal  music,        . 
School-management,     . 


>38 


SECOND    SECTION. 


Reading,     .... 
Writing,      .... 
Spanish  grammar, 
Arithmetic, 

Catechism  and  religion, 
History  of  America  and  Chili, 
Vocal  music, 
School-management, 


35 

THIRD  SECTION. 

Spanish  grammar, 
Arithmetic  final, 
French,        .... 
Geometry  and  lineal  drawing, 
Physics,       .... 
History  of  religion, 
Agriculture,         . 
Hygiene,      . 
Vocal  music, 
School-management,     . 


29 


FOURTH   SECTION. 


Spanish  grammar, 

Cosmography, 

Physical  geography, 

Chemistry, 

Natural  history,  . 

Agriculture, 

French, 

Political  constitution,  . 

Lineal  drawing,  . 

Vocal  music, 

School-management,    . 


19 


Open  to  the  public,  is  the  National  Library,  containing 
1 75,000  volumes  and  manuscripts,  and  24  others  in  the  capitals 
of  provinces,  with  59,460  volumes. 

A  National  museum  with  many  specimens  of  Chilian  objects. 

Three  museums  of  the  University :  1st,  of  mineralogy  and 
geology ;  2d,  of  metallurgy ;  and  3d,  of  anatomy. 


36 

A  National  observatory,  at  33°  26'  S.  lat.,  0°  meridian  of 
Santiago,  6°  22'  E.  Ion.  of  Washington  and  535  metres  (1,755 
feet)  above  the  Pacific. 

The  State  has  invested  since  1872,  the  following  sums  in  the 
development  of  popular  instruction  : 

1872, $    908,838  30 

1873, 1,142,013  32 

1874, 1,197,361  58 

1875, 1,116,653  36 

1876, 1,225,579  13 

1877, 1,123,528  88 

1878,                     .       %.  1,004,265  00 


IX. 


ARMY   AND   NAVY. 

The  navy  of  Chili  consists  of  two  iron-clad  frigates,  an  iron- 
clad monitor,  two  wooden  steam  corvettes,  three  gun-boats,  five 
armed  transports,  eight  ordinary  transports,  two  steam-tugs  and 
all  other  elements  necessary  to  the  war  state  of  the  republic. 
The  crews  of  these  vessels  reach  2,960,  officers  and  men,  besides 
a  marine  artillery  of  1,125  strong,  officers  and  men  ;  a  force 
which  has  been  increased  owing  to  the  present  war  with  the  re- 
publics of  Peru  and  Bolivia. 

The  army  of  the  republic,  formerly  reduced  to  what  was 
strictly  necessary  for  the  service  of  the  frontiers  with  the  Arau- 
canian  Indians  and  to  a  disciplined  base  for  the  organization  of 
an  army  of  the  three  arms,  which  did  not  exceed  3,000  officers 
and  men,  has  now  been  raised  to  21,000  strong,  officers  and  men. 
The  reserve  corps  is  made  up  of  9,000  men,  which  can  be 
speedily  augmented  by  the  national  militia,  which  is  ready  for 
any  emergency. 


37 
X. 

LIGHT-HOUSES   AND   BUOYS — HYDROGRAPHY — METEOROLOGY. 

There  is  a  commission  of  light-houses  and  buoys,  which 
superintends  this  branch  of  the  public  service.  The  office  of 
hydrography  works  ceaselessly  in  the  development  of  this  im- 
portant study,  and  publishes  an  Annuary  and  a  periodical  of 
hydrographical  notices.  The  central  office  of  meteorology 
directs,  receives  and  collates  the  observations  which  are  made 
by  the  different  observatories  established  in  the  republic.  These 
studies  are  published  methodically  in  the  Annuary  of  that  office. 

There  is  also,  finally,  a  Central  Office  of  Statistics,  for  the  col- 
lection and  collation  of  statistical  facts  and  the  census  of  the  re- 
public, which  publishes  every  year  an  Annuary  of  those  data, 
and  also  the  census  in  every  ten  years. 


DIPLOMATIC  AND  CONSULAR  SERVICES. 

I. — IN  THE  UNITED  STATES  OF  AMERICA. 

Envoy   Extraordinary   and    Minister*   Plenipotentiary — Francis 

Solano  Asta-Buruaga,  at  Washington,  D.  C. 
Consul  of  Baltimore,  Md. — Washington  Booth. 
"        Boston,  Mass. — Horace  N.  Fisher. 
"        New  YorJc}  N.  Y. — Diego  do  Castro. 
Philadelphia,  Pa. — Edward  Shippen. 
Portland,  Oreg. — Ferdinand  G.  Ewald. 
"        Port  Townsend,  Wash.  Terr. — Charles  M.  Gerrish. 
San  Francisco,  Col. — Henry  Palacios. 

II. — IN  CHILI. 

Envoy  Extraordinary  and  Minister  Plenipotentiary — Thomas  A. 

Osborn,  at  Santiago. 
Consul  of  Coquimbo — Joseph  Grierson. 

"         Talcaguano — William  Crosby. 

"         Valparaiso — Lucius  H.  Foote. 
Vice- Consul  of  Talcaguano — S.  J.  Stauton. 
Consular  Agent  of  Caldera — John  C.  Morong. 


* 


UC  SOUTHERN  REGIONAL  LIBRARY  FACILITY 


A     000  082  908     5 


Univen 

Soul 

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